Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Cozy Beehive is a unique cycling blog with its own niche. Although it is not as popular as some of the other ones on the web, I get readers from far and wide, all the way from Anchorage in Alaska to Porirua in New Zealand.

From small interactions on this blog, I have come to know that some of my readers are from reputed places such as MIT, U Cal, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and from a variety of cycling companies. Others are everyday people (like me) who love to bike and connect with like minded people across social media.

Thank you very much for reading. I'd still like to get to know you all, so I thought I'd ask you to chime in and tell a little about yourself while having a chance to win something special from AllModern. AllModern has a great selection of modern furniture and home accessories from many leading designers. Part of CSN Stores, All Modern is just one of over 260 retail sites that offer a diverse array of products from Herman Miller’s popular Aeron Chair to cookware by Rachael Ray. Now the following tells you how you can get involved and win :

All you have to do is tell me who you are, what you do and why you like to read my blog (if you'd like to tell me that I should try harder, that's absolutely welcome!). All the comments I receive below the post will be put in a sophisticated Bee gooey and a random winner will be selected by nature. The winner will have a chance to pick anything from AllModern in the $100.00 price range. This could include an office accessory, a lamp, some wall décor – anything that appeals to you. AllModern will collect your shipping information, email and phone number, place the order and pay to have it shipped to you.

While I come to know you folks through the exercise, one of you will have a chance to also win. So leave a comment! I'm taking a week or possibly more off from blogging so you have time until then to do this. To say the least, I'm looking forward to the interaction.

31 comments:

I'm Michael and I hail from Chicago. By day I am a freelance art director and sometimes photographer. By night I dress up in a kevlar bat suit and fly around the city fighting crime. (Though some nights I just sit around the apartment browsing the internet and reading cycling blogs.)

I read this blog because it digs a little deeper than most. Instead of just repeating the latest news on Campy's new 17 speed group that I already read on a hundred other blogs, you often discuss topics that I previously knew absolutely nothing about. And it's done in a concise, smart, sometimes funny manner.

OK Ron. I'm not as exciting as Michael. I'm Jo Ann and live in Western New York, the current rain capital of the US (or at least so it seems when I'm on the bike). I work as a project manager/estimator (chief guesser) for an electrical contractor.

I read this blog because I know the author personally. I find it entertaining (except when you bash Lance), and am amazed at the depth you'll delve into on some topics. I also like that you've given me a knew perspective on rides in my area.

I'm Emile, work from home software engineer living in Southern Oregon. I have a 4.5 and a 2.5 year old, and we're a one car family, so I get around with them on a low end Sun recumbent with a cheap two kid trailer.

I got interested in the idea of framebuilding (although I haven't actually followed through yet), and found Cozy Beehive while looking for info on bamboo bike frames (a story about SolCycles maybe?) I stuck around because the content was both interesting and nerdy.

I'm Jim Morehouse, and I'm from Las Vegas. I've been a cyclist for over 35 years. I returned to competitive cycling at the end of last season. I love everything about cycling, especially road racing. As a mathematician and a mechanic, I also have a strong interest in the technical aspects of the bike, and have always built my own wheels and done my own wrenching since the day I completely disassembled my first racing bike, right down to the bearings. I think I got it back together OK! I also have a blog, http://400000milesandcounting.blogspot.com

Hey all, I'm Don from the Cleveland, Ohio area. I am an HR Consultant specializing in Engineering, IT, and Professional Management recruiting, as well as health, life, dental benefits, 401k, and policy & procedure. Truly full service HR, and I LOVE IT! I also write the Cycling Phun blog for, you guessed it, phun.

I read the blog because I love cycling, and enjoy engineering. I think Ron's mix is not only insightful & educational, but exciting & entertaining.

I'm Antti from Espoo, Finland. I am a software engineer who does single speed road and mountain biking and some track cycling too. I read this blog because it doesn't spread blatant misunderstandings about engineering, physics and the scientific method. The topic of this blog is also very interesting.

This is some pretty good stuff. Kind of amazing, this internet. We forget sometimes how easy it is to interact with people over huge distances with whom you would otherwise never know because the internet has become so everyday.

So, anyway. My name is Nate and I live in a suburb of Kansas City on the Kansas side. I am an EMT/Firefighter working in a level one trauma/burn center. I also work part-time as a mechanic at a small bike shop where I also race for their team.

I started reading this blog because a friend and teammate had it linked from his blog. The first article I read was about the Thompson Elite seatpost issue. The way Ron approached the issue was what really got me hooked; and the fact that I had just purchased the same post in question. He looked at both sides and really tried to get information from all angles and usually did. This is something that is lost in many areas of the media and cycling. The technical data and explainations were both in depth and easy to understand.

Ron's continued approach to cycling relevant topics in this manner and frequent entries have keep me reading. Ron seems to always want to gain more knowledge and expertise about this sport and it's community as much as I do. That is why I read.

I hope you enjoy your break from blogging Ron, you deserve it. Just make sure you come back. We'll all be waiting to hear what you did with yourself during that time. ;)

I am a mechanical engineer (looking for a job - a victim of the auto industry downturn at the moment) and I read the blog because I enjoy the technical writing style you employ and the tech topics you investigate. I have to say, too, that the first few posts I read when I found the blog were ride reports that were really enjoyable.

Maybe I need to send an email to Don, the Phun HR consultant to help me find a job?

My name is Matt and by day I'm a land-use planner working for a (until recently) fast-growing town near Burlington, Vermont. I've always had bikes but got back into riding more seriously about five years ago. I enjoy wheel building and doing crazy bike-related projects for friends that nobody else is interested in taking on.

I'm not an engineer but I hang out with a couple of them, and I enjoy this blog because I can't leave well enough alone when it comes to understanding the whys and hows of the inner workings of various parts of my bikes. This blog does something that no otherbike-related blog does, and I really appreciate that.

I'm from Long Island, NY and am a medical student. I like this blog, especially the interviews you did with David Gordon Wilson from MIT. I enjoy the funny stuff tooo, some of them make my cry with laughter. You have a special way with sarcastic writing!

This is EJ from Bangor, Maine. I work as a pharmacy tech in an outpatient chemotherapy clinic.

I started following your blog some time ago, and to be honest, one of the reasons was the title: Cozy Beehive. Just superlative. I'd have to say the next best reason is your ride reports. I really like the descriptions and pics of the roads you ride on there in NY and PA. Plus I like the perspective you bring to the topics you discuss on the blog: interesting, nerdy, funny stuff. Keep up the good work, Ron.

I'm Pete from Brisbane Australia. I am a Project Manager for a large global IT Services Company but my background is in Surveying and civil engineering.

I love cycling, both road and MTB. I love it for the simple pleasure of being on the bike as well as filling the need I have to get my hands dirty. I do all my own mechanical work and often do work on friend's bikes too.

I am one that looks at something and one of my first thoughts will be "How does this work?". I really enjoy your blog as it dives deep into various topics and provides a real, no BS view of how things work.

I'm Zhefei, and recently graduated from Northwestern University with a passion (and a degree!) in mechanical engineering. Of course I like to bike (was on the club road-racing team at NU), and helped start a Formula SAE team.

I'm Jack Sweeney...reference librarian by day and writer/editor for www.bikecommuters.com by night. I live in Tampa, Florida and am celebrating my 19th year of bike commuting and 31st year of general cycling...I've been riding, building, racing and crashing bikes for what seems like forever!

I love Cozy Beehive because I've always been fascinated by the technical and engineering aspects of cycling...and Ron has a great way of breaking down some very difficult concepts into a form that this non-engineering mind can comprehend. I've got several engineering friends who give me a little coaching from time to time, too...

My name is Kevin, and I am a bike-aholic. I have a background in Aerospace, Mechanical, and Power Engineering. Ron your blog helps sastify my daily need for bicycle technology information. What is even better is you do it from an engineering point of view.

OK, I'm engineering (& humanities) trained; teach learning skills in a polytechnic. Have been a cycling fanatic, racing (road) and commuting during a long spell in Japan - where it's really safe to cycle!

Build wheels, been doing this for 30 years - and have a preference for steel (yes, I know!) as a frame material. Favorite bike: Columbus Niobium frame, Dura Ace group & hubset. Ah! :-)

Hey Ron,I’m John. I live in the Niagara Region of Ontario Canada. I’ve been cycling and racing since I was 15. No racing anymore but I still ride and/or run at least 5 times a week. I’ve traveled the world in search of the ultimate cycling utopia. So far you can’t beat Bourg D'Oisans France as best bang for the buck.I’ve worked for many cycling related companies over the years. Veltec Sports/Concord, GT Bicycles and Leader Helmets to name a few. I’ve even wrenched for a few teams back in the 80’s. I currently own a bicycle shop selling mostly Trek, Gary Fisher and Giant with a few Euro road bikes here and there.I enjoy your blog for its technical side and the humour. I hope you can top “The lore of the victory salute.”Keep up the good work.

I trained as a Product Designer, but am now working in building services.

I have never been off a bike since outgrowing my tricycle. I Compete in timetrials & triathlons (where the UCI cannot reach!). Nothing on my bikes is just bolted on without investigating whether it can be modified to fit me or function better.

Bike technology interests me, and the varied topics raised here are much more thought provoking than other sites. The quality of the resulting comments lifts it above the others too.

Hi, I'm Jen from Austin, TX. I'm one of the people who makes the Internet work on the backend router side (for AT&T). I found your blog when searching for info on bamboo bikes and I keep reading it because I enjoy your perspective on bike-related things.

Ok, my word verification was HoTardis ... is that Doctor Who gone Porn? Look what is under my scarf! Oh my!

Curt in Corvallis, which has been given the Bicycle Friendly City Gold award by the LAB. I didn't have anything to do with that though, I just enjoy it while biking to work (I'm a data ranger) or the market or during midday exercise.

This blog is on my read list because the topics are almost always interesting, the thought that goes into the analyses, and because it's well written.

WHO:Hi, I'm Jon from Denver and I have a problem...No, wait, wrong introduction.

WHAT:Anyway, I am a biker mechanic, comic book artist, musician (who tests soil for the State Dept. of Transportation to pay for those other things).

WHY:I'm sort of an "inner workings" guy. I like to know how things work, or why they don't. As a kid, I was the one who would disassemble a watch to check how it ran, then never get the pieces back together.

So, I like the tech background on Cozy Beehive. I can see the inner workings of theings, without being responsible for putting them back together.

The WHOMy name is Zachary Ellwood, my blog is http://zach-cyclist.blogspot.com/

The WHATTwo months ago I graduated from DeSales University with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. So far I haven't had any luck in finding a job except for a commission job. I am an independent contractor for Help Kids Play, a fundraising company with discount Value Cards. What I do is "go after" youth sports organizations and present this fundraising program to them. I tell them that their organization's logo will be on the front of these credit-card size Value Cards, and on the back will be a list of merchants LOCAL to their location and discounts. Currently I'm working on my first two sales, and I get $500 for every club I sign on so $1000 will come to me within the next month or so.

The WHYI like Ron's post, it always has something interesting with the science of the different aspects of cycling. My one favorite post was about helmets, because I wouldn't be alive today without the one I was wearing. I had a car/bike collision just over 1.5 years ago, with included the event of me going through a window head first. Doctors told me I would be dead without one and I'm still lucky even with wearing one. I sustained a stage-3 concussion instead.

Anyways, that was a little trailing-off-topic-ish. Keep up the good work Ron! Please keep reading my posts as well! haha.

My name is David. I'm from the greater Buffalo area. I'm a graduate student at University at Buffalo. Also, I have a job as a counselor at a residential rehabilitation home.

I was introduced to Ron's passionate interest in cycling when he joined the University at Buffalo Cycling. Then I helped him find his first bike in America. Then I started reading his blog since I thought I should know more about engineering. I find this technical stuff to be an interesting break from the counseling-psychology studies that I do. I really liked that post on my own carbon fiber frame. The posts on helmets. Also, the post of victory salutes.